DAILY NEWS
Join together! | Goldendale EIS | 3-monkeys Cathy | Elwood is 70
Friday, July 1, 2022
ORGANIZING
The staff of Real Change are UNIONIZING! We are journalists, case managers, political organizers, and frontline/development staff who are deeply committed to Real Change’s mission. We aim to make Real Change the best it can be for vendors, ourselves, and our community. 1/2
— Real Change Union (@realchangestaff) June 30, 2022
Workers at the Madison Park store just won their union! ? We’re so excited! pic.twitter.com/5eb4sa7Kv4
— Starbucks Worker Solidarity (@VentiSolidarity) June 30, 2022
EDITOR’S NOTE — If you’re keeping track, with six more union victories on Thursday, there are now 182 unionized Starbucks stores in 30 states — including 13 here in Washington state. Seven months ago there were none. Are you ready for a real voice at work? Get more information about how you can join together with co-workers and negotiate a fair return for your hard work. Or go ahead and contact a union organizer today!
TODAY at The Stand — Tumwater Fred Meyer employees join together with UFCW 367
THIS WASHINGTON
► From KNKX — Public comment period open for largest proposed energy storage project in Washington — If built, the Goldendale Energy Storage Project would be the largest pumped storage project in the Pacific Northwest, providing up to 1,200 megawatts on-demand, the equivalent of 12-hours of electricity for residents in a city the size of Seattle, said Erik Steimle, vice president of Rye Development, which is developing the energy storage project. In addition, the Goldendale project would make up one-fifth of the region’s need for energy storage, he said. A new draft environmental impact statement from the Washington Department of Ecology is out now. The public can comment on the draft EIS through Aug. 9 and can submit comments online.
► From the Olympian — WA state leaders want to ‘accelerate’ climate efforts after Supreme Ct. limits EPA’s power — “We are sounding the alarm and we are proud of what we’ve done, but this decision makes it clear that we will have to accelerate our efforts when it comes to climate change and carbon pollution,” Inslee said.
► From KUOW — Legislator calls for fraud audit of state’s largest charter school chain — State Rep. Gerry Pollet (D-Seattle) has called for fraud and performance audits of Impact Public Schools, Washington’s largest charter school chain, following a KUOW investigation that found scant services for students learning English and a lack of support for students with disabilities.
► From the AP — Inslee prohibits State Patrol from aiding abortion investigations — Gov. Jay Inslee has issued a directive instructing the Washington State Patrol to not cooperate with out-of-state abortion investigations, a preemptive move in case states where abortion is banned or significantly restricted seek to investigate whether their residents have traveled to the state.
LOCAL
► From KING 5 — Delta pilots picket at Sea-Tac Airport, several other U.S. cities — Off-duty pilots with Delta Air Lines plan to picket at airports — including in Seattle — Thursday morning. In a media advisory, the Air Line Pilot Association said the pilots would be protesting protracted contract negotiations as they want to send a message to the airline’s management team that “it’s time for an industry-leading contract.”
SUPREME COURT
► From the NY Times — EPA ruling is a milestone in long pushback to regulation of business — In striking down an EPA plan to reduce carbon emissions from power plants, the court issued a decision whose implications go beyond hobbling the government’s ability to fight climate change. Many other types of regulations might now be harder to defend, reflecting conservative legal theories developed to rein in administrative agencies.
► From Politico — Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson sworn in to Supreme Court — Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was sworn in on Thursday, the culmination of her historic ascension as the first black woman to claim a seat on the nation’s highest court.
► From Politico — The conservative Supreme Court is just getting warmed up — The next targets could include voting rights, state courts’ power over elections, affirmative action and laws banning discrimination against LGBTQ people.
► From Politico — Supreme Court to hear case on GOP ‘independent legislature’ theory that could radically reshape elections — The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in a case promoting a controversial legal theory that would consolidate elections power in the hands of state legislatures. Republicans have increasingly promoted the theory as a way around state courts that have recently struck down redistricting maps as partisan gerrymanders.
THAT WASHINGTON
► From HuffPost — McConnell takes bipartisan bill hostage to block Democrats’ prescription drug bill — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell won’t support a bipartisan domestic manufacturing bill if Democrats try to lower prescription drug prices and tax the rich, the Kentucky Republican announced Thursday.
NATIONAL
► From the AP — Strike averted: 4 Atlantic City casinos reach deal with union — The main union for Atlantic City casino workers (UNITE HERE) reached agreements on new contracts with four casinos on Thursday, providing for what one worker called “big raises” and labor peace that will avoid a strike on Fourth of July weekend, one of the casinos’ busiest of the year.
► From the Detroit Free Press — GM, UAW reach tentative agreement to avoid strike at 4 Michigan plants
EDITOR’S NOTE — Ready for some benefits at work? Get more information about how you can join together with co-workers and negotiate a fair return for your hard work. Or go ahead and contact a union organizer today!
► From The Hill — Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law takes effect today. Its impact is already being felt. — Under the measure, which was signed into law in March by Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, public primary school teachers are prohibited from engaging in classroom instruction related to sexual orientation or gender identity.
T.G.I.F.
► The Entire Staff of The Stand wishes a very happy birthday to Elwood Blues, who turns 70 today. His brother, “Joliet” Jake, did most of the lead vocals for their band, but Elwood always got to shine in this cover of a novelty doo-wop song originally recorded by The Chips. Enjoy him as he scats his way through “Rubber Biscuit” at the final concert at San Francisco’s legendary Winterland Ballroom, where the Blues Brothers opened for the Grateful Dead.
The Stand posts links to Washington state and national news of interest every weekday morning by 10 a.m.